Ten-digit deal scrapped...or is it?

Guam - A billion-dollar deal is off the table for the Ancestral Lands Commission. According to Mike Cruz, legal counsel for Guam Economic Development Authority, the agency that handles land leases for the Commission lands says negotiations with Tebo Development, a company based in Boulder, Colorado, have come to a halt.

"The law requires us to cease negotiations with the developers of both lots and we will probably cancel the requests for proposals," said Cruz. Tebo has offered a billion dollars to lease 500 acres of land on Federal Aviation Administration property. Cruz says GEDA was negotiating with another company for land on Andersen South. Both parcels of land under Public Law 30-06 are now to be allotted to original Tiyan landowners.

"There are two properties that are addressed in the law those are two separate companies we are dealing with we would issue cancellation notices for both properties," he added.

From here, Cruz says any negotiations for the those properties should be between the land owners and the interested parties. But Joel Tribaudini, a negotiator for Tebo Development, says the deal with ancestral lands is not off the table. In fact, he says Tebo accepted the terms for the lease proposed by GEDA before the public law was signed.

"That submittal at that point in time was out acceptance to all their terms and concluded the negotiations process at that time," he said. Tribuadini says they expect GEDA to stick to the terms negotiated, explaining, "We are now waiting for GEDA to provide us with a lease agreement we can sign to proceed to construction process and payment of lease terms."

But according to Cruz, GEDA is no longer at the bargaining table. "Once we cancel the request for proposal, we will be out of it," he stated. Tribuadini contends negotiations were over and says they were shocked and dismayed when the bill was signed into law.

He says Tebo Development spent hundreds of thousands of dollars reviewing the property and developing a master plan, noting, "All this effort and all this work we put forward and all this money we have spent all these years comes to nothing to me that not right."

Tribaudini says it was news to him that GEDA would revoke the RFP and says the deal they offered the Ancestral Lands Commission would benefit all those who are owned land. Over 70 landowners are to receive lands under Public Law 30-06. Yesterday, Commission members discussed how that would happen; the Tiyan land law requires the land be doled out to the owners with in 180 days.

Director of the Ancestral Lands Commission Ed Benavente says a special meeting will be held next week to determine how the agency will issue the land. As for Tribualini he says has not yet heard directly from GEDA that the RFP will be canceled and says Tebo does not yet have plans to negotiate directly with the landowners.

The trial against Raymond Martinez and Juanita Moser continued again at the District Court. Today, jurors heard cross-examination of Torrance Police Officer Ryan Schmitz by Martinez's defense counsel, Peter Perez. Officer Schmitz was the arresting officer who pulled over Martinez in a traffic stop resulting in the finding of eight pounds of meth. Perez argued the credibility of the government's witness, calling out inconsistencies in his testimonies and reports. Defense also...More >>

The trial against Raymond Martinez and Juanita Moser continued again at the District Court. Today, jurors heard cross-examination of Torrance Police Officer Ryan Schmitz by Martinez's defense counsel, Peter Perez. Officer Schmitz was the arresting officer who pulled over Martinez in a traffic stop resulting in the finding of eight pounds of meth. Perez argued the credibility of the government's witness, calling out inconsistencies in his testimonies and reports. Defense also...More >>

She wants the feds to investigate the Department of Corrections. Public safety oversight chair Senator Telena Nelson has asked US Attorney for Guam and the CNMI Shawn Andersen to send a request to the justice department to conduct an independent review of the recent events at the prison. Nelson wants them to find out if there have been any violations of the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act. Some of the things she points out include the assault on detainee Katlyn Scully,...More >>

She wants the feds to investigate the Department of Corrections. Public safety oversight chair Senator Telena Nelson has asked US Attorney for Guam and the CNMI Shawn Andersen to send a request to the justice department to conduct an independent review of the recent events at the prison. Nelson wants them to find out if there have been any violations of the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act. Some of the things she points out include the assault on detainee Katlyn Scully,...More >>

He is accused of pointing a gun at another driver on the road, and now faces drug charges. Sean Anthony Aquiningoc is charged drug possession and possession with intent to deliver, illegal possession of a firearm, theft by receiving, assault, and reckless conduct. Police tracked down the suspect's car after receiving a complaint that he allegedly pointed a gun at her along route 16 in Dededo. Along with a 9mm gun and full metal jacket bullets, police found marijuana leaves, and multip...More >>

He is accused of pointing a gun at another driver on the road, and now faces drug charges. Sean Anthony Aquiningoc is charged drug possession and possession with intent to deliver, illegal possession of a firearm, theft by receiving, assault, and reckless conduct. Police tracked down the suspect's car after receiving a complaint that he allegedly pointed a gun at her along route 16 in Dededo. Along with a 9mm gun and full metal jacket bullets, police found marijuana leaves, and multip...More >>

Corrections officers stopped prison contraband from getting into their facility. DepCor leaders say officers found chewing tobacco and pugua at the rear side of the domes while conducting a perimeter check on Sunday. No word yet if anyone is facing charges following the find. Authorities are investigating...More >>

Corrections officers stopped prison contraband from getting into their facility. DepCor leaders say officers found chewing tobacco and pugua at the rear side of the domes while conducting a perimeter check on Sunday. No word yet if anyone is facing charges following the find. Authorities are investigating...More >>

15 players from Guam's men's national soccer team are in San Diego for training camp. Matao Head Coach Karl Dodd says, "We are using this camp to evaluate the players off-island and to implement the new professional standards and playing style to those players."

15 players from Guam's men's national soccer team are in San Diego for training camp. Matao Head Coach Karl Dodd says, "We are using this camp to evaluate the players off-island and to implement the new professional standards and playing style to those players."

It was battle of the regions fire departments... Local and federal fire fighters from Guam and the CNMI spent the weekend at the Paseo Beach Park for this year's fire muster competition. They competed in a variety of physical contests that tested their strength, endurance and teamwork. Taking first place on day one was the Navy Federal Fire Department, and walking away with the overall win on Sunday, the CNMI Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services. Great job to all who comp...More >>

It was battle of the regions fire departments... Local and federal fire fighters from Guam and the CNMI spent the weekend at the Paseo Beach Park for this year's fire muster competition. They competed in a variety of physical contests that tested their strength, endurance and teamwork. Taking first place on day one was the Navy Federal Fire Department, and walking away with the overall win on Sunday, the CNMI Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services. Great job to all who comp...More >>

A mother admits to police she had just smoked the drug, ICE, when she tried to hurt herself and her five year old. Eileen Camille Mangarero is charged with assault on a police officer, family violence, and child abuse. Police responded to a disturbance along route 15 in Mangilao when they saw a woman holding a child in the middle of the road. A man known to her tried to help and calm her down. Authorities were able to get both the child and the woman off the road. But, it's at that po...More >>

A mother admits to police she had just smoked the drug, ICE, when she tried to hurt herself and her five year old. Eileen Camille Mangarero is charged with assault on a police officer, family violence, and child abuse. Police responded to a disturbance along route 15 in Mangilao when they saw a woman holding a child in the middle of the road. A man known to her tried to help and calm her down. Authorities were able to get both the child and the woman off the road. But, it's at that po...More >>

A 51 year old man is under arrest accused of sexually molesting an 11 year old girl known to him. Neron "Jack" Paulus is charged with 2 counts of first degree criminal sexual conduct. Police responded to the complaint at an apartment complex in Agat on Saturday. Court documents state, the alleged abuse included oral sex and vaginal penetration. It was only after the victim began crying even louder that the suspect got off of her and left the bedroom. The suspect was also on ...More >>

A 51 year old man is under arrest accused of sexually molesting an 11 year old girl known to him. Neron "Jack" Paulus is charged with 2 counts of first degree criminal sexual conduct. Police responded to the complaint at an apartment complex in Agat on Saturday. Court documents state, the alleged abuse included oral sex and vaginal penetration. It was only after the victim began crying even louder that the suspect got off of her and left the bedroom. The suspect was also on ...More >>

A brief scare at the Hawaiian Rock compound after a suspicious package was found. It happened midday Saturday at the Mangilao facility forcing workers to temporarily evacuate. Guam Homeland officials say the item was found on the shore side of the compound. HazMat teams responded along with the Guam National Guard's 94th Civil Support Team. Authorities are now testing the contents of the package. Meantime, Hawaiian Rock employees have since been allowed to return to work.More >>

A brief scare at the Hawaiian Rock compound after a suspicious package was found. It happened midday Saturday at the Mangilao facility forcing workers to temporarily evacuate. Guam Homeland officials say the item was found on the shore side of the compound. HazMat teams responded along with the Guam National Guard's 94th Civil Support Team. Authorities are now testing the contents of the package. Meantime, Hawaiian Rock employees have since been allowed to return to work.More >>

GFD leadership confirming a suspect got into a storage container at the Piti Fire Station early Saturday. Officials say nothing of value was inside and it didn't appear that anything had been taken. But, anyone with information is asked to call police. Just last week, police also investigated an incident that ended with a busted window at the Astumbo Fire Station. However, authorities say the building was not targeted and the damage was a result of a domestic dispute that happened in ...More >>

GFD leadership confirming a suspect got into a storage container at the Piti Fire Station early Saturday. Officials say nothing of value was inside and it didn't appear that anything had been taken. But, anyone with information is asked to call police. Just last week, police also investigated an incident that ended with a busted window at the Astumbo Fire Station. However, authorities say the building was not targeted and the damage was a result of a domestic dispute that happened in ...More >>